Tillis Publishes Profanity-Laced Texts to Trump, Reveals Tense Exchanges in New Book

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) has released two profanity-laced private text messages he sent to President Donald Trump, sharing the excerpts with Politico's Playbook and including them in his forthcoming book, How to Lose Friends and Antagonize Presidents.

In a May 22 message, Tillis rebuked the president and urged him to 'cut the ********,' arguing the administration's approach was failing. Tillis wrote that he still wanted to help but would not tolerate what he described as unacceptable behavior.

'I still want to help but I don't take this ******** from anyone, including you Mr. President. Save that **** for the cowards who don't care if you fail. I care if you fail and right now we are failing.'

In a separate text dated June 6, Tillis pushed back against Trump’s claim that he had threatened to primary the senator. Tillis said that if Trump had ever directly threatened him with a primary, he 'would have immediately told you to **** yourself' and would have announced his retirement at once.

'If you had ever threatened me directly with a primary, I would have immediately told you to **** yourself, and I would have announced my retirement immediately. Save those threats and head games for cowards and fools.'

Later in June, after a public clash with Trump over Tillis's opposition to a major tax-and-spending bill, the senator announced he would not seek reelection. The texts — blunt and profane — illustrate the personal and political tensions between Tillis and the former president and form part of Tillis's account of his fraught relationship with the White House.

Context: Tillis provided the messages to Politico's Playbook and discusses them in his upcoming memoir, framing the exchanges as examples of escalating intra-party conflict during a high-stakes policy fight.